Partners for Health recognized retiring Trustees, Deborah McLean Leow and Christopher D. Petermann, at the Foundation’s December 2021 Board meeting.
Deb Leow first partnered with the Foundation as the emcee at TEDxMontclair 2013, an event that Partners for Health helped to plan and sponsor. Following this she was elected to the Foundation Board in March 2014. During her tenure, Deb was a strong advocate for improving the mental health safety net in local schools, and for lifting up populations most vulnerable to health inequities. She served as Grants Co-Chair from 2018-2021 and was also a leading voice of the Foundation’s Strategic Planning efforts.
Deb is currently a realtor and Principal of Leow Home Partners, a full-service real estate group based at the Keller Williams Metro Group in Montclair. Prior to this, she led national public health initiatives for clients such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for more than two decades.
Chris Petermann was elected to the Foundation Board in July 2014. He chaired the Audit Committee from 2015-2017, before being elected to serve as the Foundation’s fourth Board Chair in 2018 and 2019. Chris’ term as Chair coincided with the celebration of the Foundation’s Ten-Year Anniversary in November 2018. At that event, PFH presented Community Impact Awards totaling $100,000
The Foundation’s Strategic Planning effort was launched during Chris’ second year as Chair at a Board Retreat held in January 2019 and culminated with Board approval of the new Strategic Plan framework in 2020.
Chris is a Partner of PKF O’Connor Davis and co-leads the firm’s Private Foundation Practice. He has more than 30 years of specialized experience in accounting for exempt organizations and private foundations. PKF O’Connor Davis has also been a generous sponsor of the Foundation’s Annual Golf Tournament.